Challenges
by IrisFrostfeather
Summary: Read the title, you get the idea.
1. Chapter 1: My Silent Cry

**Challenge for FrostClan by Feather-Sorrow. Okay, so I'm on the iPad right now, and there's this thing called STUPID AUTOCORRECT THATS NOT AS HELPFUL AS IT SHOULD BE. There might be some parts that don't make any sense, especially because I'm writing and proof-reading (and I'm not even rereading everything...) this in the middle of the night and *yawn* so tired...Anyways, before I fall asleep, here's the story. ****P.S. This takes place in the old forest.**

_What is sadness? I had asked myself when_ I was only 5 young moons old. I had wondered that time, if I would ever feel it. If I would ever know what the strange word meant. Now as I looked back, wishing I could've stayed like that. So kittenishly innocent, thinking the worst thing in the world was not being able to reach the freshkill pile first in a race between my siblings. Innocent, like how I had protested my sister in a argument about how frog tasted better than toad. That maybe now, if I closed my eyes, trying really hard, that maybe, just maybe, I could return to the past. Change the past so that I wouldn't be stuck in this everlasting misery.

Happiness...That was a word of the past...It didn't exist in this cruel world anymore. No one used that saying, not any longer, no cat could find a sentence to fit it in. Every sound, syllable, or noise that escaped any cat's mouth now was filled with desperation to save the rest of the cats that lay on the ground, tattered and torn, bleeding their life out bit by bit. And when I looked at them? What did I feel, to see my mother and brother with them, some cats looking like they wished that they were dead so that they didn't have to suffer any longer? Regret, guilt, and that longing wish for another chance in life. This was my fault. Staring into those glassy orbs of those cats...Oh, what have I done?

The Clan didn't know, but I did. What truly had happened. It wasn't just a coincidence that we were starving in this particular leaf-bare, yet not the one before as much. Not a coincidence that our leader was deadly sick with green-cough on his last life along with another more than half of the Clan. Stupid me...Why had I been so blind? Too trusting, thinking I could believe in his tricky, twisted lies.

But still it was mostly me. What was I thinking? I was far too eager to dive into his open paws, the ones which whispered hushed words of how I was meant for him...Foolish me. But of course, I had always been like that, so naive. My eyes always open, wide, so easy to read. That was me. Curious, confused me. Swooned by his pretty little words. Him telling me I was so beautiful and me believing him. I had the usual black colored fur with ringlets of smoke gray and dark, azure eyes. Yes, that was me. Raindawn of ShadowClan.

* * *

It was sunrise in the camp and I was supposed to be asleep. But I couldn't. How could I, when I knew that some day within the next quarter moon, that I would become an apprentice? My fur was bristling with the thought and whenever I spoke, it was nearly not understandable with the thick layer of bubbling excitement. Both my litter-mates, Dawnkit and Shadekit, were already, somehow, asleep. I nudged Dawnkit awake, whispering in her silky ears to get up and play.

The "big" cats were awake, so why couldn't we be? My mother, Silverfoot, muttered for me to stay quiet in her affectionate way. I lowered my voice even below a whisper as I prodded Dawnkit again. She squirmed a bit before grouchily opening up one eye, wanting to shake off my pleas before closing her eye again. Refusing to be let down, I tried one more time, jabbing her lightly in the ribs. My sister sighed, knowing my consistency, but glared, playfully, at me as she stood up.

Suddenly, her eyes lighting up mischievously, she growled a few words, careful not to wake Silverfoot again, as she darted off outside for a race to the warrior's den. I opened up my jaws to protest her unfairness, but seeing her already running, I started after her as well. Maybe I wasn't as fast as those scrawny WindClan cats and nor did I want to be, but perhaps if I could at least outrun my own ShadowClan sister...With a burst of speed, I chased after Dawnkit's creamy tail, waving with the flag of victory. I pushed on, harder and harder, as I saw the warrior's den come into view. I was running side by side Dawnkit now, and I thought I could make it and win. But a heartbeat before I felt the warrior den's well-stitched wall on me, I heard Dawnkit crowing in joy. She'd beat me. Again.

Oh, but I knew I didn't have to worry. I would just have to wait for the perfect moment to beat her. It wouldn't be all that hard...Huffing indignantly at my litter-mate, I walked over to the freshkill pile, grabbed a frog, and pulled it over to Dawnkit. She blinked gratefully at me, the earlier win and lose already forgotten between this sisterly bond, before diving in eagerly, licking her jaws. I laughed, purring at her hungry bites, and joined in happily, wondering if life would always be so calm.

* * *

My tail lifted in excitement, curling against my back, as Scorchstar called together the Clan. My warrior's ceremony! Shadepaw walked proudly beside me. An empty spot lay on the other side of me...Dawnpaw's place...I struggled to look away from that place on my side. I tried to keep my spirits up as I stumbled in my even pace. Shadepaw glanced, concerned, over at me and I just gave him a quick smile.

A patrol sometime last moon had returned in wounds, dragging Dawnpaw's lifeless body, claiming that there had been two fierce badgers on the territory. Scorchstar had sent a patrol the next day and killed the two badgers whom had mauled Dawnpaw. I mourned for her for many sunrises before my mentor had chided me about becoming a warrior. This was my moment, I could just pretend she was beside me, and then maybe she would be here.

I could imagine it clearly, her blue eyes wide as she staring at Scorchstar, waiting for her promised name. Her pelt brushing close to my own, as I was able to feel her excitement and bubbling joy. Shadepaw had fell when he heard Dawnpaw's was dead. He had refused to do anything for nearly a moon. I had mourned, yes, but as my mentor, Brightstorm, explained how she had lost her brother in a battle once too. But instead of giving up on life, she had tried to cherish her memories with him and keep him happy in StarClan by becoming a well remembered and honored warrior of ShadowClan. I did to, kept up with my bubbly, optimistic, and energetic spirit. It had worked, here I was recieving my long awaited warrior's name.

By this time, Scorchstar had finished saying most of the ceremony's words, pausing on us two soon-to-not-be apprentices. Shadepaw replied fiercely, with a strong, _I do._ I repeated his same words, almost screaming them out in joy. I quickly shut my mouth, my fur prickling with embarrassment as I heard quiet chuckles from the Clan. New name...New name...

Everything was a swirl around me in the next moments...Scorchstar's mouth moving slowly...Shadeclaw...My brother...And me? I waited for his next words. He looked kindly down onto me, his amber eyes blinking once._ Raindawn, after her beloved sister. _My name...Dawnpaw and I...forever connected...through that one word. Raindawn.

* * *

"RAINDAAAAAAAWN!" I flattened my ears resentfully as a senior warrior, Sootthorn, yelled at me. "You were needed for dusk patrol! You were supposed to be in camp! You were supposed to have told someone if you left! It's already almost twilight! WHERE WERE YOU!?" That was my _great_ welcome into camp by my _great_ Clanmate. I blinked guilty my paws, before walking past her, mumbling a quick excuse about going to the dirt place, accidentally falling in a well-hidden ditch, and taking a while to get out again.

If it was anyone else, I might've had to come up with a better excuse, but not for Sootthorn. Apparently, the warrior believed it and just walked away, not having enough brains to question me any farther. Well, with that settled, I was safe. Especially with big-mouthed Sootthorn probably saying my excuse in her own words. She had some way of convincing others whatever she said was right. I was lucky that night, but I wasn't sure of the rest...

I didn't tell anybody, not even Shadeclaw, Silverfoot, or Pinemask, my father, where I had been that night. Told no one that I had been at the ThunderClan border, that I had pressed against his warm pelt like I had for the last two nights, that I had looked him directly in his comforting eyes and whispered his name, Emberfang, to myself slowly as. I went to sleep.

It had been almost five moons since my warrior's ceremony, eight since Dawnpaw's death, and two sunrises since happiness. Perhaps my last few days like that. But, of course, I didn't know at the time. So blind...confused...easy to trick...That was all he had saw in me. A chance to get information out of my babbling, open mouth. I hadn't known for the one moon I met up with him, that he had been secretly giving the information I told him to his own Clan leader, Foxstar. Information that I had wailed out about how Scorchstar might die because of his deadly case of green-cough. How the medicine cat, Aspenfur, was sick too, and her apprentice only half trained. How hungry we were this leaf-bare, the drought affecting our territory greatly, everything.

* * *

"Merr-!"

I lifted my head in confusion, to see the rest of the warriors doing so too. Blinking, I walked out of the den, three or four healthy warriors on my tail. So I hadn't imagined that short, loud scream. The first thing I noticed was that the camp guard, my father, was gone. I stared at the spot where he should've been. "Pinemask?" I called out quietly, hoping for an answer. When I got none, I padded out to the entrance and peered out, surprised as a sharp whiff of ThunderClan hit my nostrils. But then there was that one more...That familiar scent from ThunderClan...

_Emberfang_...

"_WHAT!?_" My reaction, as always, was screaming. "Nightwish, Nightwish, _NIGHTWISH_!" I screeched to my best friend. "Shadeclaw!" Every cat in camp looked at me and hurried over to the place I was standing. "_THUNDERCLAAAAAN_!" I shouted, alerting every cat. Immediately, diving in from the dark trees that surrounded the camp, ThunderClan cats poured in, hissing battle cries. My eyes widened in distraught as I realized they had nearly brought their entire Clan. How could we fight them? We were starving and some had green-cough!

_His malicious green eyes..._

Everything swirled around me as a ThunderClan warrior cannoned into me, sharp claws raking my ears. Snarling, I thrust my hind paws into his stomach and snapped at his paws. The tom growled at me, shaking his head to free himself of blood dripping down to his eyes. He lunged at me again, a low rumbling sound in his throat as he kicked mer across the camp. I struggled to stand and before. I managed to do so, another ThunderClan she-cat warrior attacked me.

_His smug, conceited expression..._

I let out a battle cry of anger and shoved her away roughly, but the warrior kept coming back, knocking me over, this time another warrior, the one from before, with her. "Time to die, kitty-paws." The tom hissed in my ears as his claws swung the air too close to my stomach, brushing my belly fur. I rolled onto my paws and faced the two of them with a determined face.

_His blood stained paws..._

Nightwish smashed into one of them, panting between heavy breaths. "Raindawn..." She croaked hoarsely. "...you...alright...?" I nodded hurriedly and ran to help Shadeclaw with the three cats he was facing. Hissing, I raked my claws against ones cheek and then another's back. They turned around angrily onto me as Shadeclaw slumped down onto the floor, weak from too much blood loss. I growled at them, knocking one off his paws, but a she-cat bowled me over, pinning me down.

_His bared snarl, outstretched claws..._

"ThunderClan, stop!" Their leader, Duskstar, called. I looked up in surprise. "Where is your cowering leader?'' He demanded silkily. The ShadowClan deputy weakly pointed his tail to the leaders den, unable to resist. "Well, get him out here!" Two cats exchanged quiet looks of nervousness before walking into the den to coat their sick leader out. Scorchstar stared silently up at Duskstar. "ThunderClan has been having more and more kits and in order to feed them all we need more territory." He continued. "Seeing that ShadowClan is too starved and sick to fight back, we will be taking the territory that we need And that is up to the Thunderpath, as my warriors have planned out."

I instantly knew what he was talking about. That large, noisy Thunderpath that spilt the territory into two. The old sparkle of pride swept the leader to his laws. He was obviously going to snarl out a no, when the deputy, Redfeather, whispered something to him. Scorchstar's shoulders sagged down as he looked around the camp, defeated. "On one condition." He said at last. "You and your warriors leave my cats in peace until the end of leaf-bare." Duskstar showed his teeth in his unfairly won victory as he nodded and lead his cats out of the camp.

"Raindawn..." Who said that? So familiar...Like, ghostly, hauntingly familiar. A familiar I wanted or not? "Raindawn..." That voice...Who could sound like that...? Like...Everyone I loved voices together. ''Raindawn..." Stop it! I couldn't stand to here that voice anymore, now mixed with more and more cats from ShadowClan. "Raindawn..." Why...? I had done this. Killed so many loyal ShadowClan cats just fighting for their Clan. Me!

"Um, I'm not so sure how to tell you this, but..." I looked around to see another acquaintance of mine, Oaksong, blinking awkwardly at me. "Aspenfur gave me a list of the most injured and dead cats and..." She trailed off again. Oh no. Please don't say... "Silverfoot is deadly wounded and Shadeclaw died from blood loss. I'm sorry, Raindawn." No. I refuse to believe that until I see for myself. Gritting my teeth, I pushed past Oaksong and beside the medicine cat den. And looking inside, how I wished I didn't...

I stared heartbrokenly into Shadeclaw's open dead eyes, Silverfoot's wounds whom spoke itself that there was no hope, Nightwish's half closed, bleeding eyes, and all the rest. All because of me. I had betrayed ShadowClan just like that. Emberfang...How could he...? Suddenly, I couldn't catch up with Brightstorm's advice anymore. To go on with life. To stay happy and cheerful. All these cats dead or near dead... Nightwish... Shadeclaw... Mother... Father... Sister... ShadowClan. That moment, everything fell, I couldn't keep up with this reality anymore. I crashed down onto my knees, crying tears of grief that no one could see.

**Hey, that last sentence rhymed! Lol, so I'm done with a close 3,000 word long one shot. This is mine, as in Feather's challenge, for FrostClan-Sorrow (as stated before.) ;P I made ThunderClan the villain in this story because I see WAAAAAYYYYYYY too many stories with ThunderClan as the honorable, great, hero-like cats and ShadowClan as the evil, "I'm going to kill you" cats. So I'm switching it around!**


	2. Chapter 2: Broken Wings

**Challenge for FrostClan by Iris**

**(Trying not to make it long, so it won't be boring!) BTW- Refraining from details and other soppy emotions. (though, not so good at it...)**

**Enjoy!**

"Sorrow...Hmmm...You ask me about how I felt when my kin and best friend flew away? I'll give you a somewhat short story, my dear friend."

* * *

At first I felt numb.

My brain and body just wasn't reacting because of the shock. All the time my mind would just flash back to the time where Featherpaw and I would tumble over each other in the NatureClan clearing, squealing like the kits we once were. It was dappled silver-blue fur against white and black. But now it was just me, the beloved pale pelt no where to be seen, leaving me in the darkest shadow of hidden pain.

_Love._

We were a team. We were friends. Most importantly, we were family. I couldn't let that go, no matter how many times I got upset over losing prey, when she caught one. She was also the one who would share her prey with me, that cold leaf-bare evening when there wasn't enough to go around. When I was asked about my twin, I would first stare blankly at the curious cat and then look away, mumbling about how she was the quirkiest in training.

_Hardship._

Besides, I just wanted to forget. Sometimes I would just close my eyes willing myself to forget the past and move on. Just a chance to sweep the nightmares under the rug or possibly erased. Yes, I needed help, maybe a warm pelt against me or a string of soothing words to put my mind to rest. I needed someone, but that someone was gone. Oh, Featherpaw, where are you?

_Remember._

And everytime I see those shimmering hazel eyes in my dream, my own azure blue eyes flood with tears of absolute loneliness. Why does it have to be? I wonder at night gazing up at the stars, wondering if my beloved sister is with the rest of my family up in the sky watching me stumble over obstacles on a journey to find a possibly dead cat.

_Alone._

There were the depressing moments in that span of time, where I would curl up with a shard of moonstone that she gave to me some time ago before the incident. The incident. I wish I could have reacted quicker before her captor took off into the sky, never to be seen again.

_Lost_.

And from that dreadful moment that left me searching like a hungry ghost, I swore that I would find her, where ever she was, even if I had to go through the Dark Forest to find her. And anyone in my way, would pay a high price.

I have been raised to think _love is stronger than hate and hurt. _But the only reason I am running after her is because of hate and hurt.

Will I always be alone? Correction.

I will find you Featherpaw.

* * *

We were hunting that sunny day on the flat moors of our vast green territory, not knowing fate was against us. Great oaks lined the plains with emerald green folige, forming a moon-shaped clearing, where I could here the sounds of nature echoing through the hillsides. Streamlets ran through the lush green grass, sparkling like shattered mirrors in the sunlight. Can you imagine calling this place home?

NatureClan. The most beautiful clan and not to mention best. This vast territory was all that we had, providing us everything, from scenery to prey to a cozy home. Our rival clans have tried many times to steal land from us but, we have and will keep on guarding it until our last breaths, and fight like tigers to preserve our land for next generations to come.

Our small, but strong patrol, consisting of Featherpaw, our two mentors, and I, headed toward the edge of the border that day, near the other numerous clans. My sister was faithfully beside me, padding softly along the waving heather, pausing occasionally to daintily sniff the air for her favorite prey; vole.

I, on the other had could barely match her buzzing energy hidden beneath her white splotched pelt, although I was for sure more observant than her. She didn't see that rare plains-wanderer behind the rock, did she? But then again, this was a serious hunting patrol, almost like an assessment, with our mentors striding ahead and glimpsing behind a few times to check that we weren't tussling over on the ground or racing through the fields, and scaring all the prey away.

Blazestreak, Featherpaw's mentor, was leading the patrol with a proud stride in his steps, his pale white chest fur puffed up like a squirrel's. He was boasting to no one in particular, supposedly to my mentor, about his childhood achievements, like catching a sparrow bigger than himself and stuff like that. Equally matched was, Laurelsong, less vain than her arrogant friend, swift and fast like a leaf flying, but possibly weaker than Blazestreak. To show that she was still half listening, Laurelsong would occasionally nod and return back to the actual hunting mission.

Yes, it was a wonderful day, but today it seemed more...I couldn't describe it that day but I can tell you one word. _Fore-shadowing._ That day was telling me, "_Beware, beware_!" After all, the deep blue sky had a tinge of dark gray today, as if concealing something from me, and the wind was mournfully sighing, blowing cold air against my silver pelt. Was I overreacting? Maybe. Was I going to tell somebody? Yes.

Featherpaw beat me to it. "Irispaw, listen!" At the sound of my name, I snapped my head around toward my twin, disturbed to see her starring up at the sky with watchful, glassy hazel eyes. "Something is coming...to get..." I continued gazing at her until she seemed to fall out of her trance, bewildered at what she had just saw. I stroked her flank slowly to ease her mind, and draw out a few words.

Featherpaw stuttered and took a few dramatic breaths. "I'm fine, but I-I saw that I had w-wings, and was flying far far away! Why would StarClan tell me that? I would never leave this clan!" She shook her head as if to clear away thoughts and the added jokingly, "Well, there is possibility that I would leave because of your _snoring_, though!" Glad that the old Featherpaw was back I teased her gently and said, "You should listen to what you say at night!"

Oh, how I wish I had told her.

* * *

_Bu-bump, bu-bump. _I could hear the fat rabbit's heart beating in the walls of its rib cage, pumping blood throughout its whole body._ Bu-bump, bu-bump_. Behind quarters low, I slithered slowly toward its speckled beige fur and silently sheathing my claws in anticipation. I could smell the rich scent of the rabbit, from my place downwind in the saw grass. The hare, undisturbed, continued snuffling along the grass for seeds and grasses.

_It must think it's safe. _I flicked my ear as it slowly moved toward me, unaware with false security. I leaned back, bunching my wiry muscles, preparing to spring like a wolf on a deer. _One, two...Three! _My feet pushed my body off the ground, propelling me toward the hare. From the corner of my eye, I could see Laurelsong's pale tortiseshell and cream haunches masked beneath the yellow-green glint of cord grass, and her hazel green eyes watching my every move.

It was best that I not to stumble in front of my mentor, yes? Without giving the hare a chance to run like I usually do, though I do love the thrill of a good chase, I bounded upon it dippping my head down at the base of its neck, sliding my teeth around its neck and then biting down. My prey gave one last squeal as I broke its neck with a _crunch _sound. I sighed with a bit of displeasure, for killing animals is not my favorite thing, although it is necessary.

I saw my mentor nod with satisfaction and slink toward Blazestreak's reddish pelt, where he was hunting a large bird. Seizing the limp rabbit, I headed toward Featherpaw, wondering what she caught. Probably something larger and furrier than her.

My sister's white and black pelt bobbed up and down the prairie turf, as she stealthily, crept up on a moor grouse pecking at the ground. Just like I did, she pulled back then released. Into the air she flew, landing one mouse legth away from the brown bird. Very close. Startled, the bird burst into the air flapping frantically. With a surge, Featherpaw vaulted into the air once more, snagging the grouse with her claws.

The bird flailed then plummeted right into my sister's waiting paws. She triumphed over her catch, but it was too early to celebrate.

A shadow blocked out the sun above us seeming to come at the exact moment to ruin our happiness. We both looked at the shadow flitting across the ground. "_Prairie__ falcon!" _I breathed, looking up at the bird of prey's massive form. In awe, Featherpaw and I gaped at it, struck by how it was very pale, almost white, unlike another falcons. And in the background, I could hear the clamoring of our mentor's voices yowling, "Run!"

I didn't notice until it was too late.

The bird spiraled down toward us like a phantom, grisly claws outstreched forming mouths coming to kill is. And at that moment, I saw what Featherpaw saw. The wings of a falcon fastened onto the back of Featherpaw. The bird was going to carry her away and...

Like a pebble falling of the edge of a cliff, the hawk folded its wings and plummeted down, straight for Featherpaw and the grouse in her jaws.

* * *

"_Help_!" My kin's cries were what woke me up. Blazestreak and Laurelsong were too far behind too help so I made a decision. I had already lost all my family except for Featherpaw, and I wasn't going to start again. No I wasn't. I would chase that hawk and Featherpaw all the way until the end of the world. I wish I could've helped the rest of my family before they went to StarClan, but it was too late. But it wasn't too late to settle things now.

Instead of wailing like a kit, and begging StarClan to take me instead of her, I took one last look a the dead grouse she dropped and ran.

I retrived all the sorrow and guilt stored up in my heart for so many moons and finally put it too use. All the misery was an excuse to feel sorry for myself, but now I had one chance to redeem myself and let the dark past drift away into another dimension. Family is forever but determination will lead the way.

StarClan only knows if I'd save her, but from that point, she was all I had.

* * *

"You ask what happened next and how I felt? Well, friend I chased after _you _until I found _you_ with a clan full of winged-cats. How did I feel? Happy of course!"

Feather chuckles with Iris about their adventures and continue hunting in the moors of NatureClan.

**Ermmm... so much for making it short... Oh well! Yah maybe It seemed like every other typical warrior sorrow story, but this one really came from the heart. (My best friend really moved away :'( *sniffle*). Yeah, I also know that that's not as important as food and water, but family and friendship are forever. Well unless your friends are just using you...**

**Anyways, if you really read it (probably not though...o_o) then thank you for taking some of your time out of your day!**

**~Iris**

**Feather (after reading)-The two facts wrong in this story: 1. I DO NOT HAVE WINGS! 2. I AM NOT YOUR TWIN! (I would add more exclamation marks, but FanFiction won't let me. D:) Hmm, I wonder which friend moved away... *innocent look* Heh heh...**


	3. Chapter 3: In Absence of Hope

**Challenge for FrostClan by Feather-Joy. **

**To Splashpaw: I fixed the Raindawn/Rajndawn thing, error, whatever it's called from the previous chapter. Thanks for telling me!**

**Goldenflame12: Thank you, thank you, thank you! (X100,000,000 etc. thank you's) P.S. Goldenflame is such a pretty name!**

**And like before, typing this on my iPad, THE THING CALLED AUTOCORRECT (though I'm afraid if I turn it off I'll have lot more errors...) Anyways, pretending I said nothing, here's the story!**

_"Hurry up, you pawless cat!" Snow _yelped in fake annoyance to her best friend and only friend, Petal. The yellowish she-cat pushed on with a bit of extra speed and growled challengingly back to Snow. She headed up side to side to Snow. The silver she cat bound happily after her, purring in the meanwhile. Petal scoffed at her as Snow's eyes caught a mischievous glint. "Race you to the next Twoleg nest!" She exclaimed, laughing as she pushed her legs to race faster and faster. Petal threw her head back in a sigh and charged after her. The white she-cat reached the red colored Twoleg nest a second before Petal did, causing her to glare at her playfully before cuffing one sheathed paw over Snow's left ear.

Petal shook her head and rolled her eyes at Snow. "You're always so competitive." She complained. "Couldn't we just relax for once? Like, even just one day?" Snow opened her jaws to protest, to suggest to keep racing or maybe a tussle on the ground to make her blood flow quickly through her veins. What was more exciting than that, something to keep their spirits up and to stay well and fit? Practice hunting some rare prey from the forest, maybe find a lucky piece of Twoleg food thrown out, explore some new parts of the Twoleg place, or even venture into the depths of the woods. "_Snow!_" The yellow she-cat exclaimed in exasperation glaring at her.

The white she-cat snorted. "Fine, fine." She relented at last, letting Petal have one day, and please let it only be one, of her own wishes. "Let's just take a walk through the Twoleg place, okay?" Seeing upon Petal's eyes burning into her skull, she sighed, adding, "No play fights, races, or any distractions at all. I promise, alright? Now let's hurry up and get home! Err...Not a race though..." She blinked innocently at Petal, trying to trail off casually. Her friend nodded in agreement, not saying anything, but obviously relieved, and padded off, walking with Snow following her high, waving tail, breezily running a few steps so that they were side by side.

They walked silently, heading back and not a word uttered between the two. Snow began to feel uncomfortable with this awkward quietness, her fur buzzing with heat and itching. She saw a group of cats, maybe five or four cats gathered at the end of the alleyway. Petal began to walk right past them and Snow hesitantly followed her, pelts brushing side by side. Cold stares were passed onto them and an eerie air surrounded all of the cats watching their every step. Suddenly, the cat at the very end leaped off the fence he had been resting on and padded forward to them, intercepting their path. The white she cat blinked in confusion, Petal beside her looking directly at the tom cat. "We're going home." Petal said to him at last. "Please let us through." There was a growl embedded in her voice, swaying back and forth with a unspoken threat.

The cat in front of them had sharp black eyes, glowing with malice and hostility that had death written all over the inky beads. _Please don't start a fight with this cat_. She silently willed Petal, knowing her attitude could easily come off as a challenge. Her friend didn't seem to get her telepathic message, sent through the icy air of solid menace and her own fear scent. As the tom cat didn't reply, Petal made movement to brush right past him. That was a huge mistake. Just as she placed down another footstep, the other four cats leaped off their perches too, snarling and hissing as they circled around the two litter mates. "You leave when we say so." The tom, whom she guessed as the leader, growled in a hoarse, scratchy voice that echoed off the dirty, rusty walls of the dim alley. His claws flashed out, curling and digging over the earthy ground like a tree and it's roots.

On this apparent signal, the rest of the cats did the same, their naturally long, long claws viciously sinking into the ground, as if it they wished it was their flesh and skin they could shred right now. For a moment, Snow had that ironic thought that the day she finally let Petal have her peace and quiet, had to be the day where the usually calm Twoleg place produced blood thirsty cats to attack them. But the alleyway cats had swarmed onto the two of them, and Snow suppressed a shriek of shock and pain. Three cats were hissing at Petal and she was backed up against the wall, the fur along her spine bristling. The other two cats, including their leader had rounded up on her.

The leader snarled as he dug his claws into Snow's sides, causing her to shake him off like a dog, pouncing onto the fence in desperation to escape their snarls and fangs, but the two cats just easily leaped up with her. Weak from previous claw marks, Snow stared helplessly at the two cats slowly and casually approaching her like it happened everyday, then to her friend, who had passed out on the ground, a mess of red blood darkly shining in the mid afternoon light, blocked by the tall Twoleg nests in either side. The tom leading stopped in front of her. "You should of never intruded on our territory. Pass the warning to the cats around you, because that-" He snarled, pointing to Petal. "-is what happens to cats that dare trespass." Snow shivered, wondering if this blood stained cat was about to free her from her death.

She held in her breath as she watched the five cats gradually pad away from her view. Immediately, she rushed over to her friend's limp body. "Petal? Petal? Petal! Wake up, wake up, wake up!" She lightly nudged the bloody figure. She groaned and rolled over to expose a fatal stomach wound. Panicking, Snow tried to decide what to do next. She knew nothing about herbs, nothing about wounds, nothing about healing at all! _There must be someone that could help! _Snow cried to herself in false belief. Someone...someone...but who!? Heavily breathing already, she picked up Petal's scruff as gently as she could and started forward, dragging her body in a slow pace, careful not to bump her body against any studded stones or move to roughly. This was supposed to be a quiet day...

* * *

"Please, I'll do anything. Just a day here to let her rest...Surely she'd die if she doesn't..."

The cat in front of her glared unsympathetically at her. "That is not if our concern." The tom growled sharply. These cats...Their hearts...It was like they didn't even exist...Couldn't they see that Petal was deadly wounded? Couldn't they at least, if not help her heal the wounds, even rest a day or too? The three cats behind the tom were inching away, acting as if they were germs that needed to disappear. Even the youngest one, maybe just two moons old, was making a face at her. Hearing the tom take a deep, husty inhale of air, making Snow look up hopefully, only to blink into the same stony eyes. "Leave..." He hissed softly, in such a tone that made the silver she cat want to scratch his muzzle off. "Or we will have to chase you off..." With those harsh felt words, he turned tail, roughly brushing past the other cats, which followed him a moment later after glaring at Snow and Petal.

_But where can I go!?_ She wanted to cry after them, yet knowing very well she'd get no answer. She ran quickly as she could uphill, glancing full of concern at her friend. Petal hung limply in her protective grip on her scruff, the only evidence that she was still alive, was the faint uneven rising and falling on her chest. A sharp stab of pains hot up from her leg to her upper spine and she looked down at herself, half in surprise. Having saw upon Petal's life-threatening wounds, she had nearly forgotten about her own. Bloody dots swarmed her sight and she quickly shook her head before slipping on the wet grass. The world swam in front of her blurry eyes and that was when everything went black.

* * *

_"Mother? Anemone? Where are you two!?" The four moon old kitten pawed desperately at the frozen dirt, swirls of windy ice partially clouding her usually sharp vision and senses. "Where-" A puff of chilling smoke dug it's way into her lungs, leaving the kitten, Snow, gasping for air. She shivered. "Anemone?" She called out weakly for her litter-mate, despite the throbbing ache in her throat. "Clover__? Where...Where are you...?" And Sequoia, her mother. __Her legs were frozen numb, making each step difficult even with the already harsh wind, blowing her off track and trembling in the icy coldness. _Where did they go? Have they forgotten about me? And...just left me to suffer in the cold by myself? Where's that comforting pelt that lay beside me just last night? Where...?

_"Snow...!" _

_Was that a voice or was that imagined? Snow limped weakly to a barren flat expanse of land, the only two things on it was a shaking old tree and frozen ice. 'Isn't the world beautiful in leaf-bare?' She had once asked her mother, staring outside of the well woven den of twigs and branches of the nearby elderberry bush. "The snow outside covers the ground so fully, not even a speck uncovered! So pretty..." The ice back then had showered the front area of the temporary den they lived in. Anemone snuggled warmly in her nest, swarmed with thick, woolly moss. She stared off into the darkness, her head raised slightly, and suddenly she felt something in her chest. That feeling like she was yearning for something...A something that was important, yet she didn't know. _

_Her mother hadn't answered for a while, staring off into the sea of stars for a moment, her glowing amber orbs shining in the whispering nighttime, her eyes dazzling off the soft moonlit sky. __She caught a wistful, melancholy gaze in her eyes as she sat without reply, blinking at the night sky, a bitter sweet smile crossing over her face. "Yes." She had said at last, turning her head to glance at her daughter, who had turned back into the world of stars, wondering what could've made Clover so downcast for that moment, even if it was so short. That look... "__Your father...He chose your name because of how much he enjoyed just looking off into the distance...searching every night in leaf-bare...for the beauty of snow."_

_Her smile had dimmed a bit while she had spoke, her eyes creasing inwards slightly and a sorrowful, almost longing, look starting to be born in those amber eyes that had shimmered with such brightness a moment ago when they were back in the den. What was this thing in the night that caused her so much aching pain? Like she wanted someone else, another pelt that was different from Anemone and Clover's to snuggle up beside her and murmur that they would always be there for her. Where was that cat? That one cat that she dreamt that she would find in the mists of time. Somewhere, somewhere, that cat would be waiting for her. To take her into his warm, warm paws and call her his kit as she called him her father._

_Why didn't he exist right now? She had only been a moon old when...When her father, her father that she never knew the name of and whenever she spoke of him with Clover she would break down, that day had been the last day she had saw her father's face. Clover had roughly pushed them into the nest and ran outside. When they were allowed out again, all was left was a terrible scent of metallic blood that ran through the air and stung her heart deeply. She had been too young back then to realize where he had gone, foolishly asking her mother for days when he would come back to the point where he became a forbidden topic. But more than anything, she still wanted him beside her, to see his cheerful smile one more time. Where...Just where? Where was the life she wanted so badly? Where was that happiness that had been locked away? Where was her father?_

_Even now, after she knew that he lay still on his deathbed, she still held that heart-wrenching feeling in her, a special spot for her father and only for him. But...Wouldn't her father save her now? From the freezing ice storms, the whimpering cold, the chilling white winds? And what about her mother? Anemone? Where were they? A mixed emotion of annoyance, anger, and panic began to be spun inside of her, twisting and twirling into different types of fear. That was the cold, cold reality. Life, the world she lived in. What was truly happening. She took another painful gasp of air, her lungs barely able to work. She saw her flank rising slowly, up and down, but barely moving. As she lay there, she tried hard to think of ways to make herself survive. The freezing earth was no place for an inexperienced little kit such as her. She had never been even outside alone once before, she was always with Anemone and her mother!_

_"Snow!"_

_There was that voice again, filled with choking and throbbing emotion, the one that belonged to a cat that was so familiar...so caring...but who? That tone in that voice, singing with the loud, loud wind, standing out like black against white, standing out from the coldness. Who could that one cat, that unlocked such hope and faith in her chest, so much be? Ringing out in her ears, making her fur stand on the edge of her spine, making her want to get up and run and run and run to the cat the voice belonged to. But where was that cat? Who was calling her name? Her eyes slowly began drooping, half from sleep, another half from the cold._

_"-have to get to-" What? "Please...she could be hurt...Snow..." Her name, someone was trying to get her? HER MOTHER AND SISTER!? Snow hastily blinked her eyes, trying o clear out as much grit as possible, before weakly, yet determinedly, got to her paws, taking one experimental step forward. The ground gave way under even her own light weight, revealing a large ditch that curved around the tree's roots. Snow backed away from the spot where more and more ice was still falling into. Shaking out her ice-cold drenched pelt, she leaped over the ditch and almost immediately tumbling off her paws, making her land into a small, thorny bush._

_Snow growled at the shrub and then self consciously gave her pelt a check through for no scratches or cuts before gripping onto a nearby boulder for support and pulling herself back up the small hill. With a leap, she aimed for the top surface of the flat grounds, but just as she felt her nose scrape the earth, her claws lost footing and faltered. With a hiss of frustration, she launched herself up again, and determinedly clambered up the steep side, failing once more and making her fall into the thorn bush. Shaking out her fur and she tried one last time, gripping the cracks between rocks and pushing on with her hind legs, finally reaching __flat land. With a loud gasping sigh in a mix of relief and pride, Snow hurriedly ran on. Racing and racing, the white she-kit continued to replay the voice in her head to know where she was going._

_"We need to find-"_

_She whipped around, hearing the sound coming from her left. Did she run past them already? She quickly turned around and struggled to remember the exact location. Suddenly, she collided into something furry and...cold...? Blinking rapidly in confusion, she turned upwards to see a large cat in front of her with a smaller cat tugging at the older cat's fur. "Clover? Anemone?" She breathed out. Anemone looked up and shocked into silence, was speechless and completely quiet. But her mother made no movement to get up and greet her, and instead was as still as the frozen ice surrounding them. A disgusting stench washed over her, so, so familiar. Like the same scent in the meadow after her father disappeared. "Mother...Clover! _Mother!_" A note of desperation rose in her voice, shrilly high in the snowstorms._

_"Snow..." Anemone whimpered out, finding her voice at last. "My paws...they feel so cold and my fur has ice frozen onto it... Mother won't reply to me..." Snow cuddled up beside Anemone, digging underneath Clover's large, lifeless paws. She heard her sister let a out a little cough in distress and pain, sounding as if her throat was on fire, despite the weather. The white she-kit snuggled closer to the grayish she-kit and slowly drifted off into an uncomfortable sleep and night._

_In the morning, Snow blearily blinked open her eyes and tried to remember where she was. With a start, she leaped to her paws, shaking off her dead mother's fur, and turned to her littler mate, her only living hope in the cruel, cold world."Anemone? Anemone? Anemone! ANEMONE!" She shook her little sister, nudging her paws with her nose and terrified to see her not reply. __She stared at her younger litter mate, shocked with fear to see her flanks not moving, and helplessly nudged her again. "C'mon." She whispered hoarsely into her ear. "Anemone, wake up. We need to..." She actually had no idea what to do, no idea how to hunt, how to fight, how to survive! She didn't know how to take care of her sister and this was what happened! Eyes wide, she backed away to see both her mother and sister buried in the clumps of white ice. Snow flung herself away, running with hot tears stinging the back of her eyes, leaving the only family she had ever known behind._

* * *

Snow's eyes flew open, sweating fervently from the bad nightmare. An old black she cat loomed over her, paws smelling like foul herbs and plants. Hissing in surprise, she jumped to her feet, claws unsheathed, thinking that this may be one of those rogues or barn cats. For a moment, the old she cat didn't even register what had happened and she had that fleeting sympathy that she may have frightened this cat. Much to her shock, the old she cat took a few paw lengths back so that they weren't face to face, all the while chuckling. Snow blinked at her response, trying to read what she was thinking through the sparkling, glittering eyes that shone brightly at her, even brighter than the mid-noon sun.

The she cat smiled at her again before saying in a raspy voice, "You sure are feisty for a cat who's injured." She chuckled again, in a low, almost happy voice. When Snow said nothing, she continued, "Well, I found you layin' on the ground downstream over here last night. I know quite a few things 'bout herbs so I brought you here and tided you all up!" She sounded very proud of herself and Snow glanced at her once infected, scratch-filled pelt, and surprised to find only a few light scars left. Before she could as much as say 'mouse,' the she cat said cheerfully, "Aw, there's no need to thank me now. I'm awful used to having young cats gettin' in skirmishes and needin' me to help them." The old she cat licked one paw and then drew it over her ear, purring.

Snow glanced around hopefully, expecting to see Petal there as well, and all of her wounds dressed well. She wasn't there. "Where's Petal!?" Any other day with her common sense, she would've mentally, or maybe physically, whacked herself for asking such a stupid question. Of course she had no idea who 'Petal' was. Of course she had no idea the word 'Petal' even meant a cat and not a plant. Of course she wasn't expecting that as the first two words out of the cat she had just saved from the verge of death! But desperation for her friend's safety was making her unable to think straight, the only thing on her mind was that Petal had to be safe, and nothing else.

"What?"

The white she cat swept her gaze around one last time, hoping to see that her eyes were just plying a trick on her, maybe she was mistaken, and that Petal really was there, awake, laughing at her question right now. But she wasn't. That cat...Where was she!? It had taken a moment for her to realize the she cat had said something, and glancing up she saw a skeptical look in her eyes as if she thought Snow went crazy or had a petal as a pet. "My friend." She quickly explained. "Petal is her name." Snow inwardly sighed with relief as she saw the old she cat's eyes loosen a bit. She did not want that to be her first impression of her! "She...She was really badly hurt and I'm afraid she might be dead!" She wailed out, distress rising in her voice. "What if I can't find her? What if I don't ever see her again? What if I do see her and find out that she died!?"

But apparently the she cat did have sharp hearing despite her age and meowed, "Oh dear now, am I sorry! I could go back to the spot I found you by the riverbank to see if I could catch her scent or something. Perhaps you would want to come too? Your wounds weren't very deep in the first place, I think you'll be quite fine like that. My name's Lizzie, by the way. Used to be a housecat, but that Twoleg life ain't suit me." She grinned, trying to liven the mood up, but Snow couldn't find the heart to smile without knowing where Petal was and that she wasn't- No. Of course she wasn't right? Petal was strong, could live through a few wounds. Of course she wasn't dead! What a foolish idea!

"Who's that?"

The white she cat turned around to see two young cats blinking in surprise at her. They seemed so much like her and Anemone when they were smaller, or even like her and Petal. Another pang of sadness and worry hit her as she heard the name 'Petal' in her head. It had been the smoke colored tom that had squealed out the question. The other one, a light golden she-kit, stood off to the side, a slightly distrusting glare mixed with her half-curious amber eyes. "Just a visitor, little kits." Lizzie meowed happily. "The dark gray tom is Stone and the sandy colored she cat Yellow." She touched her tail to each kits' ears as she named them off. "They're my younger sister's kits. Oh! I had forgotten to ask. What's your name now, dear?" Hmm? Oh. She hadn't realized she didn't even tell her her name yet. She glanced down at the two kits to see there wide eyes dilated even more, the gray-colored to bouncing up and down eagerly for her answer, and the golden she-kit trying to pretend to be dignified, but failing horribly, finally giving in and gave her a pleading look.

Were they really that interested that in just a name? Well, kits will be kits. She rolled her eyes as Stone pawed at her feet, but kindly said, "My name is Snow." Simply, simply, Snow. Like the Snow that glistened in the beauty of the moonlight, like the snow that colored her fur so well, like the snow that froze Sequoia, like the snow that killed Anemone. She saw a glint of something, emotion maybe, glitter in Lizzie's eyes. But it faded as quickly as it came when Stone pawed at Lizzie and then bounded around, chasing the old she-cat's tail while Yellow poked at one of the herbs, swiping her jaws with her tongue as if she was wondering if they tasted good. Lizzie quickly shooed Yellow away from the herb pile and then dusted the charcoal furred tom into the ground. Guilt pulsed through her as she realized that her presence here was just more work for the old she cat who was already busy enough taking care of these two troublesome kits. "I..." There was a pause in her voice, a clear note of uncertainty. "I'll be leaving soon. Thank you...,Lizzie. For taking care of me, but I must go search for Petal."

The black she cat looked up from the kits, Yellow stopped trying to lick the herbs, Stone froze in mid-paw at Lizzie's tail. "Now wouldn't it be best for you and that wound of yours to rest some bit more? Maybe a day or two of catching up on your strength, then you can go off! I can guide you to the place I found you after tomorrow as well." She was worried _She was worried! _But why? Another wave of guilt shot through her. So if she did leave, Lizzie would be fretting her tail off about her wounds. But if she didn't leave, she'd just be a burden to them. The one tie breaker was Petal. The longer she stayed, the longer Petal would be in danger. Grave danger. Like the danger that would put her life and death on line. "Snow?"

She looked up the old she cat's wise, knowing eyes. "Yes, I'm leaving soon." She meowed to all three cats, answering no question in particular. "Thank you again for helping my wounds and...I hope to see you again someday..." A light smile rested on her muzzle as she touched noses to each one of the kits. "I do have two last requests for you though." Lizzie nodded slowly. "First, I want you to point me in the direction of where the river you found me was." Another nod. "And then, could you tell me why you care about me so much?" The black she cat blinked with a start. "I-I mean, we just met, and I'm quite thankful for it, but, well, today is the first day I ever spoken to you!" Her tone rose high, then dropped low and she had the feeling that she may have offended the old she cat that stared wide-eyed in front of her.

Did she expect a answer? Maybe, sort of, in a way. Lizzie's eyes flashed white and then shook her head lightly, blinking as if she had just came out of a trance. "Oh..." She muttered softly, sounding like she was talking she was speaking to herself. The two kits, unaware of what was happening, had already skittered back into the bushy hedge den-like thing. Snow glanced past the old she cat's tail and saw the two kits still playing with a Twoleg ball. She started having that uncomfortably feeling again with the strange silence, before Lizzie finally said with a half smile, "Maybe if we meet up later on, I can tell you." She suggested. "Because...it would confirm my suspicions if I met with your sister and mother as well."

She didn't want to sound rude, she didn't mean to sound harsh, it was just the way it came out. "They're dead." She meowed bluntly to Lizzie. "And..." She continued thoughtfully, her voice softening a bit. "How...do you know about them?" This cat...had she seen her somewhere before with her mother and Anemone? Maybe in some distant memory. When she was very young perhaps? Half a moon old? A quarter moon maybe, when she still barely remembered or knew anything? Her mother and sister...A choking sound throbbed in her voice. Clover...Who had died in the buries of the snow, Anemone, her little sister who had froze to death. She shook her head, wanting to clear her head of the memories she had already tried so hard to forget.

Snow looked up and saw the old she cat looking past her, a foggy haze in those black orbs. "Hope we see each other soon..." She said at last. "Good-bye...Snow. Follow the broadest stream to the river's bank where I found you, if you want to go there." With that, Lizzie turned back and crouched back into the den, leaving the white she cat staring after her tail. She had seen that stare in her eyes, she had held it in her own many times. _Sadness, sorrow, and mourning_. For her mother and sister maybe? Perhaps she should've at least said it in a kinder way, it had sounded like she didn't even care at all. Sighing, she turned away and stared into the horizon of the river Petal's life rested upon.

* * *

"Um...Have you seen a pale sandy yellow tabby she-cat with amber eyes around here?" Snow hesitantly asked the group of cats, four cats to be exact, in front of her, fearing that they may be like the barn cats or rogues. It was mid-noon. She had spent the entire night tracking her scent to the barn cat territory hills and then Petal's spoor, which had stopped abruptly at yet another river, mingling with lots of other cat scents. Finally, she was here, and these cats had the same fishy scent that Petal's broke off into. Hopefully, they wouldn't chase her off, because currently, they were the best piece of information yet. Maybe they even knew exactly where Petal was! Hopefully, hopefully.

The youngest looking cat, maybe seven or six moons old, started yelping in a completely nonthreatening voice, even friendly at the most, "Hey! You're on our territory! It's a new cat! It's a loner! It's a rogue! Can we chase her off? Can we? Can we? _Can we? _I wanna show her how to fight like the water! Wait, no. Show her how to fight like a trout! No, no, no. How to fight like a minnow! Wait, that's not right either..." The little she cat trailed off, mumbling more strange phrases to herself. Snow caught "bass" and "perch" mixed in with it and suppressed a _mrrow_ of laughter. That cat reminded her so much of Anemone when they were younger, along with a little bit more of control. A mix of Stone and this young she cat perhaps.

Shoving the young cat aside roughly, a tom, maybe about the same age as her, if not a little older, meowed to her, "A yellow tabby and amber eyes?" She nodded, again hesitantly. The tom gave a glance to the other two cats, excluding the youngest one, who had started fuming for being ignored. She watched them carefully, for a sign that they knew where Petal was, but they all remained expressionless, of course, except for the little one, who had stuck her tongue out at the tom who had just spoke and was glaring at him as well.

A speckled gray she cat looked kindly at her, before saying, "How about you come back to our camp? I am Ripplesong of RiverClan." She meowed formally, dipping her head politely. "That-" She angled her tail to the to whom had addressed her earlier. "-is Blackfang and the other tom is Duskclaw. And that's Blackfang's apprentice-" She her pointed her tail to the young cat who had been squealing all over the place a few heart-beats ago. "-Mintpaw. What's your name?" She blinked, silent for a moment, surprised that they had accepted her so easily. Clans...Isn't that what Clover told her to avoid at all costs? But if Petal was here...

"My name is Snow." She said quietly, watching their every move and expression. Ripplesong smiled at her as Duskclaw just snorted and turned away. Okay, maybe not that accepting. Blackfang just followed Ripplesong without another word, and Mintpaw bounced eagerly beside her, chattering about RiverClan traditions and customs. The dappled she cat flicked her tail for her to follow and she tread excitedly after her, only one particular name and thought on her mind, even being able to tune out the blabbering Mintoaw who bounded excitedly beside her, still spilling more and more RiverClan information, before Duskclaw finally cuffed her ear and told her to stop giving their secrets to an outsider.

Well, she hadn't been really listening either way, but judging from how Duskclaw had acted towards her so far, he wouldn't even believe her. But all she really needed was Petal, and then she could get out of here. They brushed past a well-weaves clump of reeds and she froze in surprise as she saw piles of cat sunning themselves or eating or talking. This was how the Clans were like? Then why didn't her mother like it? From what she was seeing, it looked quite enjoyable. She saw Ripplesong exchange a quick word with a brown tom, who then padded into a large den. The dappled she cat came over to her. "I've sent a cat to inform the leader of your arrival. Come, follow me, Snow." She said, flicking her ears before heading off into a low, reed den.

She hurried in after Ripplesong, completely ignoring the rest of the glares or stares directed at her from the rest of the Clan. Brushing past some stems, she pushed her way in to smell the same scent when she was at Lizzie's. Some bitter, some foul some even sweet herbs and leaves all mixed into one. She took a deep inhale of the air and then wondered why Ripplesong had brought her here. Snow looked at the speckled she cat smiling at her, who then after nothing her confused look, pointed her tail to a nest with a cat sleeping in it. Why would she be interested in a cat she'd never met before? Wait. Snow padded forward, slowly and hesitantly, afraid that it wasn't Petal and maybe just a look-a-alike. "Pe..." She looked into the nest. "Petal!"

The yellow tabby's amber eyes opened with a start. She looked from left to right, as if expecting an open attack any moment, and then spotted Snow in front of her. "Snow?" The white she cat stared for a heart-beat longer, and then flung herself beside Petal, rubbing her jawline against her friend's. When they broke apart, and faced each other, Petal began throwing one question after another at her. "How did you find me? Are you okay? Hurt? Your wounds are taken care of! Who did it? When did you arrive here? Oh! I was so worried about you, but the medicine cat refused to let me go out until my wounds had fully healed, since they had already got infected. So where were you?"

Snow laughed, having forgot the fun she had had with Petal and gladly told her everything, from the start of their separation to the moment that she got here. They had eventually decided to stay in the Clans, for it was much safer. Ripplesong had became and remained another good friend of her and Petal's. The leader had agreed with there position in the Clan and was sooner or later going to announce their warrior ceremony. Because of Snow's easy attitude towards others, she gotten along with most of her Clanmates quite easily. Even with her more resigned behavior, Petal had befriended many cats as well. She planned to go back to visit Lizzie one day, maybe one day in the future, when she thought it was a good time.

* * *

"I name you Snowdust and Petalstream, proud warriors of RiverClan!" The Clan cheered happily, despite their former rogue status. And as she glanced at the newly named Petalstream, who was smiling at the entire Clan, looking as happy as she ever could be, she felt that twinge of a feeling, that signaled that she was where she belonged. And for the first time since her mother and sister died, she felt truly at home. This was home, and home was RiverClan. And at last, she could enjoy the remaining years of her life with her new adopted family.

**Okaaaayyyy. Longer than I had expected. I really apologize for any grammar/spelling errors/any phrases that don't make sense, because, once again, I am typing and re-reading this at midnight (which seems to be a habit of mine.) If there is a mistake, please tell me where it is so I can change it (too lazy to look myself ;D) I think Iris should be posting her own one shot or another chapter for FFL or the Seven (not really sure) soon. Anyways, 6,000+ word chapter, yippee.**

**So, the challenge topic was Joy, and I'm not exactly sure if it was supposed to be joy all the way through (I think it was supposed to be a lot shorter as in 300 words short) but the ending was joy, and it was a happy ending and all that, yay. ;D**

**~Feather**

**Iris: So give Feather a big around of applause and give candy to the girl! XD (I know I am not supposed to be here, but whatever!)**

**Feather: *sigh* Let me make this straight, I don't want candy! Unless chocolate counts as candy, of course...**


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